Saturday, August 18, 2012

Where are the fruits?


There's a guy on my facebook who posted something on his wall that prompted me to write another blog post. The job he has is what he truly likes, it's something he's trained real hard for, worked endlessly, put in a ton of time, but things aren't turning out the way he thought they would, or the way he thinks they should. He said, "I feel like giving up",  his friend's made comments like, "don't give up" "stick in there", they said just about every thing they could to uplift his spirits. Somebody even threw out there, "It's always darkest before dawn" originality at it's best, lol.  He thanked them for their words of encouragement and said  how he's, "really been feeling down and that their words helped him to wake up a little, and be more positive". He goes on to lament about how he has, "worked so hard and been through too much to not see the fruits as yet", then he asked a very interesting question, "Why is God putting me through so much? Why me?", he added, "Don't see the fruits of  my labour". So where are the fruits of this guys labour? I mean he has worked by the sweat of his brow right? and still, nada fruits. What's up with that?


Many of us have felt this way so what he's feeling is nothing out of the average, we've all been there, well many have at least. Remember those times when you picked up a few extra shifts, worked overtime, woke up earlier than usual to get that proverbial worm, or fruit, which is it? lol. Some may have missed a few of their kids swim matches or soccer games, maybe even moved vacation down the calendar a few times to get that couple extra dollars. Lets face face it, most have burned the candle at both ends and expected to see the results after a certain amount of time, we would hate to find out it's all been in vain? But what if that is the case?


How do you know if what you've been doing is truly what you should be doing? Is it because your really good at it? Many people are good at many things, probably because of all the time and dedication they've put into it, or maybe it's just something innate, you know past down through the family genes or something. Perhaps it is what your suppose to be doing, maybe you need to change your approach, take a second look at your character even. Ask yourself why am I doing this? What is my motivation? Is God anywhere in this? Did I even seek Gods council before I went out and put my all into this? Many don't ask those questions. Most of us don't want to hear that what we love so much may not be God's plan. I know I didn't want to hear it, what I loved to do nobody could tell me that wasn't my calling, even though it ultimately replaced God. I assumed on my own that's what I was meant to do. Never asked God anything, pretty much listening to my carnal mind. I noticed a void, I enjoyed what I did but wasn't getting the results I expected. Was it God calling me out of whatever it was I was doing? Was it God trying to point me into the right direction? Was it Gods way of saying this isn't what I have planned for you.

  Many have dreams, many have big plans, many have have a colourful and impressive answer for that question, where do you see yourself 5 years from now? ( I hate that question by the way, on account of me not being a psychic) 5 years from now I hope to be wherever God wills. I'm  not saying we should go throughout life winging it every chance we get, but it's really not winging it if God is the driver. Not exactly been checking for God much before, he's taken the back burner to your career. Oh, you go to church on Sundays so you and God pretty much have an understanding? (you might need to check my post on the compartmentalizing christian). After you've "worked so hard" you wonder where are my fruits God? Ever heard of selfish ambition? James 3:16. Psalm 119:36, Proverbs 18:1 & Romans 2:8, there are more but read those and see if the cap fits.
God has been, and probably currently is, nowhere on your agenda. What if all you built all you worked so hard at, was built all on your flesh. In fact, what you do has consumed so much of your life that what you do has become your God. Oh, that sounds a little harsh? Or is it that your feeling a little guilty, your hearts been pricked? Remember God is a jealous God, but in a loving way.





What ever happened to denying yourself and taking up the cross? Many say that they are following Jesus yet they're carrying baggage with them. How can you carry your cross and baggage at the same time? Can you say yes and no at the very same time in the very same breath? Can only be one or the other. I don't have all the answers, I'm still growing and learning myself, what I do know may sound a little familiar, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness", after you do that something totally amazingly fantabuloso happens, "and all these things shall be added unto you". Seek Gods will not your own, take that cross up, put all that excess baggage down or expect to get weary, and you might just be closer to what God has planned for you than you think. May God bless and guide you, and by choosing His will, supply you with those fruits you work so hard for. Let His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Most Importantly
Seek the fruits of His Holy Spirit
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law" Galatians 5:22-23


















10 comments:

Brenda said...

Lovely post Sateigdra,
When I first came to the Lord the only way I could describe how I felt was 'Like a leaf on a slow moving stream' I felt as if I just had to be carried along to wherever I was to go, without doing any moving of my own. These very words were confirmed to me on a tape I was listening to several years later. I also had a dream in which I was on a bus with other people, but there was no driver and the windscreen was covered over. There was more to that story, and I had to share it in the church at the time. I have always felt that the Lord does the directing, and have felt that it is right for me. One of the scriptures, or rather two, that often come into my mind when I start to make plans is 'take no thought for tomorrow' and 'God willing'.

T-Childs said...

I think we all need to hear this message. We can indeed run ahead of God and do all sorts of things that are not His plan for us. In this we need discernment and we need to ask God specifically in prayer what His will is for us, now and again.

S. Knowles said...

Thanks for reading guys, I really appreciate your feedback. Those scriptures came to mind as I wrote this too Brenda. I don't know why I didn't add it. Too often we go throughout life without asking God for guidance even when we know we need help. Our Help cometh from the Lord.

Unknown said...

Hi Sateigdra,

This was a great post. It touched on many important issues, "bearing fruit," "looking to God for guidance" and "bearing excess baggage." I could probably write on all three all day but I'll just say that each are important issues to be dealt with in the life of a Christian. Not for the religion of it. As I always say about it, it's not about our abilities but God's grace and therefore, we can "do" nothing right. (That's going to be my mantra LOL). But for our own release from worldly things and thereby allowing the Holy Spirit to do His work in us. Bearing fruit comes from obedience and a willingness to trust Him when puts a word in our hearts to act. Looking for God's guidance allows us to know when to go into battle and how to let the Lord fight for us. Excess baggage is nothing more than telling God, "You can't handle my life effectively Lord so let me carry my woes and concerns everywhere with me so I can deal with them [even though I can't deal with them]." These are just tip-of-the-iceberg kind of thoughts about those three subjects but, you get my point I'm sure!

You're a great writer, looking forward to your next post!

S. Knowles said...

Thanks Kelline I think your a even better writer. Thanks for commenting, everything you said was spot on. I like you mantra lol. So many people need to simply seek Gods will, let go and seek His will, it's good acceptable and perfect. I can't begin to think of anything I do that's all together good acceptable and perfect outside of Gods will. Without Gods will we're really just part of this assembly line called life, God's will sets us apart.

Unknown said...

Hi Sateidgra, hope all is well. Haven't heard from you and wanted to come by and let you know I was thinking about you. I have disabled the captcha on my blog as well. I had another person comment about it and I decided that two people hating it and one explaining how useless it is and how easy to disable it, I should do that. If I get mega spammed, I'll re-enable it. God's blessings to you.

Just Be Real said...

Wonderfully inspiring post. Thank you so much for sharing. Blessings.

S. Knowles said...

Thank you for checking it out. To God be the glory. :-)

Sincerity said...

I have had to deal this past year in letting go of past baggage and guilt. It has not been an easy road to tread, let me tell ya.

But God is sooo good to us! And I love what you commented above about how we are all on an assembly line but obeying God sets us apart.

How true. And people notice that we're different without us even having to say anything. Thank you for this post, thank you for visiting, and God bless!

S. Knowles said...

Hi Sincerity, Thanks for commenting. I also had to let go of baggage, after I did that and began to seek Gods will I found a peace and contentment that nothing else gave me. That's one of the reasons I wrote this post.

I know what this guy felt like, many can relate as well. More often we're so busy following our own idea's and dreams of what we think is right for us without even truly seeking Gods guidance.

Many don't want to deny themselves, even though it might be placing a gulf between them and God, whatever it is that they refuse to let go of. God is loving and forgiving and He truly wants to help us, if only we would let Him and lean not on our own understanding, which is from our carnal mind. Thanks again for commenting and visiting my page.:-)